Alvin ailey biography life

American dancer and activist (1931–1989)

Alvin Ailey Jr. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an American dancer, leader, choreographer, and activist who supported the Alvin Ailey American Skip Theater (AAADT).

He created AAADT and its affiliated Alvin Choreographer American Dance Center (later Choreographer School) as havens for lump Black artists and expressing description universality of the African-American way through dance.

Ailey's work composite theater, modern dance, ballet, suggest jazz with Black vernacular, creating hope-fueled choreography that continues collection spread global awareness of Coalblack life in America.

Ailey's choreographic masterpiece Revelations is recognized bit one of the most regular and most performed ballets reconcile the world.^[1][2][3]

On July 15, 2008, the United States Congress passed a resolution designating AAADT efficient "vital American cultural ambassador involve the World".^[4][5] That same twelvemonth, in recognition of AAADT's Fiftieth anniversary, then Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared December 4 "Alvin Choreographer Day" in New York Expertise, while then-Governor David Paterson worthy the organization on behalf magnetize New York State.^[6]

Early life viewpoint education

Ailey was born to Alvin Ailey and Lula Elizabeth Cliff^[7][8][9] in Rogers, Texas, in empress maternal grandfather's home at high-mindedness height of the Great Melancholy.

As a child in ethics violently racist and segregated southernmost, during his youth Ailey was barred from interacting with mainstream society.^[10] When he was pentad, Ailey's mother was raped stomachturning four white men (one doable an employer), and Ailey count seeing members of the Ku Klux Klan as a child.^[11][12]

The elder Alvin Ailey abandoned grandeur young Alvin and Lula in a short while after Alvin was born, walk away Lula to work in fabric fields and as a drudge in white homes — rectitude only employment available to her.^[13] By the time Ailey was five, he joined his be silent picking cotton.^[12] After a chalky man raped Lula in 1936, Ailey began to fear snow-white men.^[7] As an escape, Choreographer found refuge in the faith, sneaking out at night close by watch adults dance, and dull writing a journal, a training that he maintained his thorough life.

Even this could sound shield him from a youth spent moving from town relative to town as his mother required employment, being abandoned with family whenever she took off turn her own.^[14][9]

Looking for greater goodwill prospects, Ailey's mother departed solution Los Angeles in 1941.

Filth arrived a year later, enrolling at George Washington Carver Let fall High School, and then graduating into Thomas Jefferson High School.^[15] He was able to check the arts in high educational institution, singing in glee club good turn writing poetry.^[16] He also took gymnastics.^[11] He frequently attended Lawyer Theatre and the Orpheum Opera house, where he was able keep see a variety of Human American performers, including Pearl Singer, Fletcher Henderson, Billie Holiday, River Horne, Pigmeat Markham, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington.^[16] In 1946, Ailey had his first not remember with concert dance, awakening be over until then unknown spark wages joy within him,^[17] when subside saw Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo on a school trip abide Katherine Dunham Dance Company's "Tropical Review" on solitary trips make a distinction the Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium.^[18]

Also in high school, Ailey revealed his homosexuality, which added alternative layer of difference and loneliness to his already racially sequestered experience.

Thus, "like many juvenile gay men eager to entice the sensual impulses of blue blood the gentry body, he turned to shove study."^[16] He briefly studied clicking, followed by exploring "primitive dance" as taught by Dunham pardner Thelma Robinson. Neither of these styles were right for Choreographer, possibly due to the bodily location and old-fashioned sensibility go with the lessons.^[16] Therefore, he plain-spoken not become serious about advise until 1949 when his friend and friend Carmen De Lavallade dragged him to the Melrose Avenue studio of Lester Horton and he began exploring pristine dance.^[19][20]

Ailey studied a wide match of dance styles and techniques — from ballet to Indigenous American inspired movement studies — at Horton's school, which was one of the first racially integrated dance schools in representation United States.^[21][22] Though Horton became his mentor,^[23] Ailey did remote commit to dancing full-time, respect the lack of opportunities edify black male dancers.^[16] Instead, of course pursued academic courses, studying affair languages and writing at UCLA (1949),^[24][25]Los Angeles City College (1950–1951), and San Francisco State (1952).

During this time, he from time to time returned to Horton to disused between courses.^[16] Living in San Francisco, he met Maya Angelou, then known as Marguerite Johnson,^[26] with whom he formed a- nightclub act called "Al take precedence Rita".^[27] Eventually, he returned strip study dance with Horton boring Los Angeles.^[28]

Career

Horton Dance Company

Ailey connubial Horton's dance company in 1953.

While there, he took everyday technique classes, studied art instruct music, and taught children's teach. In 1953, he made her highness debut in Horton's Revue Imposing Bal Caribe. In a discussion group the summer of 1953, Choreographer created his first dance layout, Afternoon Blues. This work was a three-minute solo blues interpretation of L'Aprés-midi d’un Faune, which he had seen performed stomach-turning the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo.

In this piece, Ailey impressed the eponymous Faun to unembellished selection from On the Town.^[16]

Horton died suddenly November 1953 unapproachable a heart attack, leaving say publicly company without leadership.^[29] In tidy-up to complete the organization's crucial professional engagements, and because clumsy one else was willing cause somebody to, Ailey took over as cultured director and choreographer.^[30][31] In dole out, Horton's company was committed preserve performing at Jacob's Pillow pound the summer of 1954.

Choreographer worked collaboratively with the Horton company dancers and choreographed home-made on them, gaining the benefit of the company's dancers who had much more experience outweigh Ailey. These works included According to St. Francis (4 June 1954), a tribute to Horton as a "kind of note to Lester's life" featuring Book Truitte.

He also choreographed concentrate on directed Morning Mourning (4 June 1954), a piece based on^[16] the work of Tennessee Settler featuring de Lavallade and commencement to an original score unwelcoming Gertrude Rivers Robinson.^[16] As Horton had done, Ailey designed representation sets for Morning Mourning come to rest collaborated on the lighting.

Delay summer, Ailey also made consummate first large group piece, Creation of the World (13 July 1954), set to a evaluate by Darius Milhaud. Under Choreographer, the Horton company had fruitful engagements on television programs Party at Ciro's, The Red Skelton Show, and the Jack Sesame show. Ailey and de Lavallade also performed in a role of Carmen Jones.^[16]

Early New Royalty Career

In December, 1954 De Lavallade and Ailey were recruited gross Herbert Ross (who had choreographed Carmen Jones) to join grandeur Broadway show, House of Flowers. Ross had been hired unearth replace George Balanchine as interpretation show's choreographer and he necessary to use the pair, who had become known as tidy famous dance team in Los Angeles, as featured dancers.^[32][33] Blue blood the gentry show's book was written squeeze adapted by Truman Capote cheat one of his novellas exact music from Harold Arlen wallet starred Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll.^[34]

Ailey and De Lavallade fall down Geoffrey Holder, who performed be adjacent to them in the chorus, about the production.

Holder married Funnel Lavallade and became a life-long artistic collaborator with Ailey.^[34] Afterward House of Flowers closed, Choreographer appeared in Harry Belafonte's junket revue Sing, Man, Sing reduce Mary Hinkson as his instruct partner,^[35] and the 1957 Acting musical Jamaica, which starred River Horne and Ricardo Montalbán.

Here and there in the late 1950s, Ailey drawn-out to study dance technique infrequently, learning with the New Gambol Group's Hanya Holm, Anna Sokolow, Charles Weidman, and Karel Shook.^[16] Drawn to dance, but impotent to find a choreographer whose work fulfilled him and leaving much to be desired to continue the work take steps had begun at the Horton school, Ailey started gathering dancers to perform his own matchless vision of dance.^[36]

Alvin Ailey Dweller Dance Theater

Main article: Alvin Choreographer American Dance Theater

The Early Alvin Ailey Dance Theater

In 1958 Choreographer founded the Alvin Ailey Land Dance Theater to present coronet vision of honoring Black refinement through dance.

The company difficult to understand its debut at the 92nd Street YM-YWHA on March 30, 1958 in a concert collaborative with choreographer Ernest Parham, hint at headlining guest artist Talley Beatty.^[16] The performance included Ailey's chief masterpiece, Blues Suite, which player from Ailey's Texas childhood become peaceful House of Flowers, following rank and file and women as they caroused and cavorted over the path of an evening while pensiveness music played in the history until church bells began space ring, signaling a return on top of mundane life.^[37][38] Ailey danced uncover the other two premieres look after this performance, Redonda and Ode and Homage.

Redonda, which was later retitled Cinco Latinos, humble together five short pieces designated as "Latin Theme" in a- work similar to Horton's. Ode and Homage, set to uncluttered score by Peggy Glanville-Hicks, was a "dance of faith, dedicated to the memory rivalry Lester Horton".^[16]

Following the success be required of his first concert, Ailey elongated choreographing for a shifting inventory of dancers who were issue for dances at the 92nd Street YM-YWHA, working with designers Normand Maxon, Ves Harper, person in charge Nicola Cernovich.

These works objective the integrated Ariette Oubliée (December 21, 1958, a choreographic play-acting pantomime set to Debussy's the same named song cycle and featuring Don Price and de Lavallade. He also choreographed for treat companies in collaborations, such though a version of Miss Julie, Mistress and Manservant, to copperplate score by Ravel for influence Shirley Broughton Dance Company.^[16]

On Jan 31, 1960, the AADT premiered several new works at justness 92nd Street YM-YWHA.

These charade Sonera, Ailey's first attempt mistakenness choreographing on point. Ailey further reworked Creation of the World for this performance as calligraphic duet for himself and Unqualified Turney of the Martha Evangelist Dance Company, which received unquestionable acclaim.^[16] He also premiered monarch most popular and critically eminent work, Revelations. In creating Revelations, Ailey drew upon his "blood memories" of growing up make a fuss Texas surrounded by Black humanity, the church, spirituals, and blue blood the gentry blues.

The ballet charts class full range of feelings, vary the majestic "I Been ’Buked" to the rapturous "Wade lid the Water", closing with prestige electrifying finale, "Rocka My Emotions in the Bosom of Abraham".^[39][40][41]

In 1960, Edele Holz offered Choreographer rehearsal space at what would become the Clark Center imply the Performing Arts.

Shortly make sure of the center opened in Oct of that year, AADT esoteric its first concert. This distract included a November 27, 1960 premiered Knoxville: Summer of 1915, set to music by Prophet Barber and based on A Death in the Family extract Three for Now, set strike music by Jimmy Giuffre gleam John Lewis (pianist), as spasm as Horton's The Beloved person in charge John Butler's Portrait of Billie. The next year, he premiered Hermit Songs (10 December 1961). Originally conceived as a superiority work, it premiered as straighten up solo for Ailey performed ascend Leontyne Price's recording of Prophet Barber's Hermit Songs.

Hermit Songs, which is based on shipshape and bristol fashion loose narrative of a monk's privilege and penance, remained take away the AADT's repertoire through 1991.^[16]

Ailey's work during this time was different from that of visit other modern dance choreographers make known the time. By keeping neat as a pin focus on narrative, he was able to draw an confrontation from outside New York Expertise and the avant garde.^[11]

Work silent the US State Department stake Later Work

In the fall on the way out 1961, the US State Bureau invited the AADT (under character banner of the Lavallade-Ailey Earth Dance Company) to tour Southeastern Asia and Australia as dexterous part of President Kennedy's Unusual International Program for Cultural Presentations.

This led Ailey to make a repertory that the Make Department would find appropriate, as well as a new dance, Been Everywhere and Gone, a suite infer folk songs and children's conviviality based on Donald McKayle's Games (which Ailey had performed hill 1956) and his own experiences of growing up in Texas.

He also assembled a attendance of ten dancers and two musicians that could travel honourableness world. This tour began rubble 3 February in Sydney, Continent, and ended on 12 Might 1962 in Seoul, South Peninsula, performing sixty times in xiii weeks. As necessary, Ailey moth-eaten material to fit the motion roster of collaborators.

Many blond the works, including Roots fail the Blues and Revelations were specifically reworked to feature significance headlining de Lavallade. The excursion had followups at the Cosmos Festival of Negro Arts have as a feature Dakar, Senegal in 1966, Oriental & West Africa in 1967, and the Edinburgh Festival be pleased about 1968.

Biographer Thomas DeFrantz transcribe how the Ailey company's importance as "the sole exponent sell an emerging standard of Human American concert dance" allowed probity U.S. government to covertly moulding the "signature style of Afro-American concert dance". He also record that State Department propaganda assisted in promoting the international main attraction of the AADT.^[16]

The relationship approximate the State Department did very different from go well and ended tail a few years.

Ailey struggled with the state department rove, which insisted on marketing excellence company as an "ethnic" troop rather than a modern discharge company, and were closely at the beck by the FBI - probity latter referred to Ailey's queerness as "lewd and criminal tendencies" and threatened his company opposed to bankruptcy if he showed rich signs of effeminate or homoerotic behavior while on tour.^[42]

Despite their work with the State Wing, the company was able indifference book only a few feat per season in America.

Disperse a major concert at honourableness Brooklyn Academy of Music decrease 28 April 1963, Ailey seedy movements of Revelations into "Reflections in D" (set to harmony by Duke Ellington) which, in partnership with "Suspensions", and "Gillespiana" effortless the latest version of Three for Now. Ailey also premiered Labyrinth, telling the story uphold Theseus and the Minotaur, which was later reborn as Ariadne.^[16]

Also in 1963, Ailey began consummate professional relationship with Duke Jazzman.

Ellington invited Ailey to implement in My People (First Lowering Centennial), a travelogue history extort observance of the centennial call upon the Emancipation Proclamation. For probity August 19 performance, Ailey coreographed three pieces, "The Blues Ain't", "Light", and "My Mother Angry Father". While working with Jazzman, Ailey and his company were invited to the International Air Festival in Rio de Janeiro.

For this performance, feeling honesty occasion required a new trench, Ailey premiered Rivers, Streams, standing Doors.

In August 1964, Choreographer choreographed a dance, The Xii Gates, in honor of Woe St. Denis and Ted Shawn's golden anniversary. This performance, featuring Truitte and de Lavallade, significant with costumes by Holder, was performed for a single workweek at Jacob's Pillow.

In significance fall of 1964, Ailey speed up "American" to his company's term during a three-month European course. In 1965, following physical tensions and negative reviews at magnanimity Florentine Festival, Ailey retired escaping his career as a dancer.^[16] Ailey paused choreography until admission a lucrative commission by glory Swedish television for Riedaiglia, which was danced to a appointed score by Georg Riedel deliver relied heavily on television chairman Lars Egler's direction.

This diploma immediately won the television premium the Grand Prix Italia, sit was later broadcast in interpretation United States on Ambassadors defer to Dance.^[16]

In the summer of 1968, Ailey received a Guggenheim Comradeship. With these funds, he built his first work set contain pop music, choreographing Quintet disapprove of six songs from Eli deed the Thirteenth Confession.

This outmoded debuted at the 1968 Capital Festival, and premiered in Recent York at the Billy Crimson Theatre as a part delightful AAADT's first Broadway season.^[16] Magnanimity next year, he created Diversion No.1, including dances to Scarborough Fair and Oh Happy Generation for a program shared fulfil The 5th Dimension.

This check up, created to attract audiences forbear the AAADT's UCLA season, was one of Ailey's most fruitful pieces.^[16]

In a twelve-day residency excel Connecticut College in 1968, Choreographer created Masekela Langage, a extract set in South Africa. That work directly addresses racial statesmanship machiavel with the intention of design a parallel between the Segregation and the shooting to dying of Fred Hampton.

This politicism was uncommon for Ailey's pierce. The piece received immediate plaudits, and is regularly revived stomach-turning the AAADT.^[16]

After a successful week-long engagement at the Billy Cardinal Theatre, the company was desirable to become the resident corporation at Brooklyn Academy of Song in 1969.^[42][43] This residency specified a revival of Revelations. Long forgotten working with BAM, he backered free classes for children survive young adults "geared to rigorous formidable youth rage into art".^[16] Ailey was dissatisfied with birth residency due to cramped lodgings and BAM director Harvey Lichtenstein's racialized business tactics.^[16]

In 1970, do business few bookings on the radiolocation — and on the keep count of a tour to Ussr as part of a traditional exchange agreement — Ailey declared at a press conference stray he was closing the set.

In response, the State Wing sponsored an Ailey tour capture North Africa to tide funny over. That August, the presence toured to Russia, where absent yourself was ecstatically received. The AAADT became the first American up to date dance company to perform pin down the Soviet Union.^[16] Their accomplishment a transactions were broadcast on Moscow hurry and seen by over 22 million viewers.

On closing cursory, because the Russian audiences would not stop applauding, the bystander gave over 30 curtain calls. Returning home with news for this triumph, the company unabridged a two-week engagement at excellence ANTA Theater. At this effectuation, he premiered Flowers, set drawback music by Blind Faith, Get rid of Floyd, and Janis Joplin plonk Big Brother and the Lease Company.

Flowers, which featured Lynn Seymour, depicted the death make public a rock star caused hard drug addiction, inspired by Joplin's death on October 3, 1970, and dedicated to "a hatful of rockers making youth-oriented music".^[16] By the end of high-mindedness January 1971 performance, the thorough run was sold out. Make something stand out 13 years, Alvin Ailey Indweller Dance Theatre was a historic success.

In August 1972, blue blood the gentry company was briefly renamed Alvin Ailey City Center Dance Ephemeral and became a resident touring company of New York City Center.^[44] In September of that generation, Ailey created Shaken Angels, regarding rock-based piece. This piece, flat tyre to recorded music by Attack Cooper, Pink Floyd, and Restaurant check Withers, featured Dennis Wayne be proof against Bonnie Mathis in story jump a couple "cornered into simple relationship of violence and demand, smoking pot and mainlining diacetylmorphine.

The work spilled into nobility audience as Wayne chased Mathis through the aisles, dragging pass onto the stage and astounding her with a needle.^[16]

In 1973, the AAADT headlined the Cardinal National Congress on Blacks vibrate Dance, though Ailey sat daft of conversaitions on how nod to advance the public perception courier financial profiles of black drip companies.^[16]

In 1975, Ailey restaged Revelations for nineteen dancers for simple staging at the New Dynasty State Theater from August 12 to 24.^[16]

While Ailey choreographed hound than 100 ballets for dominion dancers, he insisted that distinction company perform pieces by all over the place choreographers rather than stand in that a singular vehicle for wreath voice.

Though AAADT was baccilar to celebrate African-American culture instruction to provide performances for coalblack dancers, who were frequently denied opportunities due to racist conduct of the time, Ailey proudly employed artists based solely catch your eye artistic talent and integrity, disregarding of their background.^[45] In sum to his work as charming director and choreographer with AADT, Ailey also choreographed ballets meditate other companies including American Choreography Theatre,^[46] Joffrey Ballet,^[47] Royal Nordic Ballet,^[48] and The Metropolitan Opera.^[49] For American Ballet Theatre, without fear created The River (1970), combine of several choreographies he submerged to the jazz music break into Duke Ellington.^[50]

Commercial Work

Throughout his lifetime, Ailey continued to pursue uncalledfor as a commercial theater choreographer, re-staging Carmen Jones (August 1959) and Jamaica (1960) for Summertime stock theater and staging dances for the theatrical review African Holiday (1960) and Dark Break the surface of the Moon (May 1960).

These commercial engagements remained cloistered, with African-American casts generally chartered to entertain mostly white audiences.^[16] Ailey also studied acting with the addition of Stella Adler from 1960 keep 1962, acting in non-dancing roles in dramatic plays including Roar Me by My Rightful Term (January 1961) with costars Parliamentarian Duvall and Joan Hackett, plus Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright, additionally starting Roscoe Lee Browne, Blunted Freeman Jr., Claudia McNeil, Diana Sands, and Cicely Tyson.

These plays all constructed race by the same token a societal force and "agent of division".^[16]

In 1964, at spruce up direct request from Langston Filmmaker, Ailey directed Jerico-Jim Crow swing at William Hairston. His one stab at Broadway choreography, La Strada (musical), opened and closed dull one performance on December 14, 1969.^[16]

The Ailey School

In 1969, Choreographer founded the Alvin Ailey Inhabitant Dance Center with the esteemed Martha Graham Dance Company paramount and choreographer Pearl Lang primate his co-director of the kindergarten.

Their aim was to make up access to arts and pull to under-resourced communities. They under way off in Brooklyn with Cardinal students. A year later probity school relocated to Manhattan latest the Lincoln Center complex. Make money on 1984, Denise Jefferson assumed direction. Under her leadership, the primary developed a Bachelor of Good Arts Program in partnership form a junction with Fordham University in 1998.^[51]

The nursery school was renamed The Ailey Grammar in 1999.

Several years late, the school moved into Magnanimity Joan Weill Center for Recommendation. Following Jefferson's death in 2010, Tracy Inman and Melanie Supplier assumed stewardship of the faculty as co-directors of the secondary. In 2012, after leading Choreographer 2 for 38 years, Sylvia Waters retired. The second company's resident choreographer and associate administrator Troy Powell took over bitterness role as artistic director.

Implements the addition of the Elaine Wynn and Family Education Absent, the Ailey school is tranquil growing and is now nobleness largest place in New Dynasty City committed to training dancers.^[51]

From her joining in 1965, nobility dancer Judith Jamison served tempt Ailey's muse.^[52] In 1971 she premiered Cry, which he sacred to his mother and jet-black women everywhere.^[53] She took stagger as artistic director following government death in 1989.^[54][55][56]

Other important gallup poll in the company include Sylvia Waters, who in 1974, back performing with the company pointless six year was asked dampen Ailey to lead The Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble — undiluted junior company, known today despite the fact that Ailey 2, that prepares trustworthy students for professional dance careers^[57][58] - and Masazumi Chaya, who danced with the company make public 15 years then became dress rehearsal director, and was appointed interact artistic director in 1991.^[59][60]

Personal life

Ailey was uncomfortable with the reputation "Black choreographer" and preferred creature known simply as a choreographer, while also acknowledging to nobility Chicago Tribune in 1987: "Of course there is something jet in my work: me brook my 56 years."^[61] Ailey, who was gay and bipolar,^[62] was known to be private look at his personal life.^[61][63]

Death

Ailey died escape an AIDS-related illness on Dec 1, 1989, at the have an effect on of 58.^[64] He asked government doctor to announce that jurisdiction death was caused by closing blood dyscrasia in order preserve shield his mother from distinction stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.^[65]

On Dec 9, 1989, more than 4,000 mourners attended his funeral knock the Cathedral of St.

Bathroom the Divine. The funeral, which lasted two hours, featured potentate friend Maya Angelou reading type oral interpretation of her verse rhyme or reason l "For Alvin Ailey", drumming provoke Max Roach, a reading signal your intention a statement from President Martyr H. W. Bush, and eulogies by de Lavallade, Jamison, lecture New York City mayor Painter Dinkins.

The funeral also charade performances of Ailey's choreography move a makeshift stage constructed approximately his casket. These included Dudley Williams performing "Song for You", Donna Wood dancing an selection commerce bid from "Cry", and excerpts overexert Revelations performed by Mari Kajiwara, John Parks, and members answer his dance company.^[12]

Ailey was inhumed in Los Angeles.^[66]

Reception and legacy

Recognition and honors

After his death, Ailey’s personal papers were housed condescension the Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City, Missouri.^[80]

Documentary

In 2021, the documentary Ailey by self-opinionated Jamila Wignot was released reaction the United States.^[81] Wignot good cheer discovered the work of distinction Alvin Ailey American Dance Performing arts by attending a performance eventually she was a student indulgence Wellesley College; in her movie more than twenty years consequent, Alexandra Villarreal of The Guardian writes, "What emerges is exceptional towering figure who won institute acclaim with art steeped imprison personal experience, yet was as well afraid to openly share fulfil full identity even in death."^[81]

Though Ailey's work has been decrease with popular and critical praise, there have been detractors take possession of his theatrical style.

Marcia Siegel accused the company of "selling soul",^[82] and of amplifying unacceptable transforming the emotivity characteristic discover Martha Graham and his original dance teachers into "metaphors insinuate the American black experience" ,while creating a positive stereotype endlessly "supremely physical, supremely sensitive beings" at the expense of "genuineness".^[83]

Ailey responded to such criticism newborn stating, "The black pieces incredulity do that come from grievous, spirituals and gospels are branch out of what I am.

They are as honest and literal as we can make them. I'm interested in putting feature on stage that will keep a very wide appeal out-of-doors being condescending; that will go an audience and make enter part of the dance; delay will get everybody into rank theater. If it's art attend to entertainment — thank God, that's what I want to be."^[44]

Associated people

In 1960, James Truitte spliced the dance company, and succeeding became an authority on Lester Horton's technique.^[84][85]

Works

Choreography

• Afternoon Blues, Horton Reposition Company, summer 1953.^[16]
• According to Illegal.

  Francis, Horton Dance Company, June 4, 1954.^[16]

• Morning Mourning, Horton Beam Company, June 4, 1954.^[16]
• Creation observe the World, Horton Dance Observer, June 4, 1954.^[16]
• Cinco Latinos (originally Redonda), Alvin Ailey Dance Music- hall, Kaufmann Concert Hall, New Royalty City, March 30, 1958.^[16]
• Blues Suite (also see below), Alvin Choreographer Dance Theatre, Kaufmann Concert Pass, March 30, 1958.^[86][16]
• Ode and Homage, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Kaufmann Concert Hall, March 30, 1958.^[16]
• Ariette Oubliée, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatreintheround, December 21, 1958.^[16]
• Mistress and Manservant, Shirley Broughton Dance Company, Feb 1, 1959.^[16]
• Sonera, Alvin Ailey Glint Theatre, January 31, 1960.
• Revelations, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Kaufmann Harmony Hall, January 31, 1960^[87]
• Three espousal Now, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatreintheround, Clark Center, New York License, November27, 1960.
• Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Psychologist Center, November 27, 1960.^[88]
• Three encouragement Now, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatreintheround, Clark Center, November 27, 1960.^[16]
• (With Carmen De Lavallade) Roots dying the Blues, Lewisohn Stadium, Creative York City, 1961.^[89]
• Two for Now, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Jan 26, 1962.^[16]
• Been Here and Gone, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Jan 26, 1962.^[16]
• Hermit Songs, Alvin Choreographer Dance Theatre, Library of Session, Washington, D.C., 1963.^[90]
• Three for Now, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Borough Academy of Music, April 28, 1963.^[16]
• Labyrinth, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre-in-the-round, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Apr 28, 1963.^[16]
• "The Blues Ain't", Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, My Mass (First Negro Centennial), August 19, 1963.^[16]
• "Light", Alvin Ailey American Glitter Theatre, My People (First Malignant Centennial), August 19, 1963.^[16]
• "My Surround, My Father", Alvin Ailey Leak Theatre, My People (First Deadly Centennial), August 19, 1963.^[16]
• Rivers, Streams, Doors, Alvin Ailey Dance Music- hall, International Music Festival in City de Janeiro, September 6, 1963.^[16]
• Ariadne, Harkness Ballet, Opera Comique, Town, 1965.^[91]
• Riedaiglia, Alvin Ailey American Shove Theatre, Sweden, 1967.^[16]
• Macumba, Harkness Choreography, Gran Teatro del Liceo, Port, Spain,1966, then produced as Yemanja, Chicago Opera House, 1967.^[92]
• Quintet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Cathedral Hill Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, Scotland, 1968, then Billy Rose Thespian, New York City, 1969.
• Diversion Clumsy.

  1, Alvin Ailey American Recommendation Theatre, Greek Theatre (Los Angeles), July 14, 1969.

• Masekela Langage, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Dweller Dance Festival, New London, U.s., 1969, then Brooklyn Academy be fooled by Music, New York City, 1969.^[93][94]
• Streams, Alvin Ailey American Dance Opera house, Brooklyn Academy of Music, 1970.^[95]
• Gymnopedies, Alvin Ailey American Dance Play, Brooklyn Academy of Music, 23 August 1970.^[96][97]
• The River, American Choreography Theatre, New York State Fleeting, 1970.^[98][99]
• Flowers, Alvin Ailey American Glister Theatre, ANTA Theatre, 1971.^[100]
• Myth, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Additional York City Center, 1971.^[101]
• Choral Dances, Alvin Ailey American Dance Dramatics, New York City Center, 1971.^[102][103]
• Cry, solo created for Judith Choreographer, Alvin Ailey American Dance Acting, New York City Center, 1971.^[104]
• Mingus Dances, Robert Joffrey Company, Another York City Center, 1971.^[105]
• Mary Lou's Mass, Alvin Ailey American Romp Theatre, New York City Interior, 1971.^[106]
• Archipelago, Festival of Contemporary Punishment at Royan, France, January 18, 1971.^[107]
• Song for You, solo conceived for Dudley Williams, Alvin Choreographer American Dance Theatre, New Royalty City Center, 1972.^[108]
• The Lark Ascending, Alvin Ailey American Dance Dramatic art, New York City Center, 1972.
• Love Songs, Alvin Ailey City Sentiment Dance Theater, New York Flexibility Center, 1972.^[108]
• Shaken Angels, 10th Pristine York Dance Festival, Delacorte Acting, New York City, 1972.^[44]
• Sea Change, American Ballet Theatre, Kennedy Soul Opera House, Washington, D.C., 1972, then New York City Interior, 1973.^[109]
• Hidden Rites, Alvin Ailey Genius Center Dance Theater, New Royalty City Center, 1973.^[110]
• The Mooche, 1975,^[111]
• Night Creature, 1975,^[112]
• Pas de "Duke", 1976,^[113]
• Memoria, 1979,^[114]
• Phases, 1980^[115][116]
• Landscape, 1981.^[117]
• Survivors, 1986.^[118][119]

Stage

Acting roost dancing

• (Broadway debut) House of Flowers, Alvin Theatre, New York Nous, 1954 – Actor and dancer.^[120]
• The Carefree Tree, 1955 – Limitation and dancer.^[121]
• Sing, Man, Sing, 1956 – Actor and dancer.^[122]
• Show Boat, Marine Theatre, Jones Beach, Unique York, 1957 – Actor innermost dancer.
• Jamaica, Imperial Theatre, New Dynasty City, 1957 – Actor squeeze lead dance.^[123]
• Call Me By Discount Rightful Name, One Sheridan Sphere Theatre, January 1961 – Paul.^[124][16]
• Ding Dong Bell, Westport Country Plaything, summer 1961 – Negro Federal Leader.^[125][16]
• Blackstone Boulevard, Talking to You, produced as double-bill in 2 by Saroyan, East End Music hall, New York City, 1961–62 – Blackstone Boulevard.^[126][16]
• Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright, Booth Theatre, December 1962 – Clarence Morris.^[127][16]

Stage choreography

• Carmen Jones, Histrionic arts in the Park, 1959.
• Jamaica, Refrain Circus, Lambertville, New Jersey, 1959.
• Dark of the Moon, Lenox Stack bank Playhouse, 1960.
• (And director) African Holiday (musical), Apollo Theatre, New Dynasty City, 1960, then produced favor Howard Theatre, Washington, D.C., 1960.
• Feast of Ashes (ballet), Robert Choreographer Company, Teatro San Carlos, Lisboa, Portugal, 1962, then produced look down at New York City Center, 1971.^[128]
• Antony and Cleopatra (opera), Metropolitan Theatre House, Lincoln Center, New Dynasty City, 1966.^[129]
• La Strada, first enter a occur at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 1969.^[130]
• Leonard Bernstein's Mass, Metropolitan Opera House, 1972, then John F.

  Kennedy delícia Center for the Performing Art school, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia Institution of Music, both 1972.^[131]

• Carmen, City Opera, 1972.^[132]
• Choreographed ballet, Lord Byron (opera; also see below), Juilliard School of Music, New Royalty City, 1972.^[25]
• Four Saint^[133]s in One Acts, Piccolo Met, New Royalty City, 1973.^[44][134]

Director

Filmography

Performer

Choreographer

Tributes to Ailey

See also

References

Citations